Local Tomato Types (Always Grown With Best Practices)

We have heritage tomato varieties rolling into stores over the next few weeks! Our local tomato farmers incorporate best farming practices into every plant they grow and use the most natural methods to achieve the best local, organic and delicious results.

The first step to great tomatoes is healthy soil with lots of organic matter and less water, which both saves on watershed and concentrates the tomato flavor. Many farms also use high tunnels (also called hoop houses) to keep cold, rain and wind away, leaving the tomatoes to grow in dry 80-degree temperatures during the day and 50 to 60-degree temperatures during the night. Without these tunnels and temperature regulation, tomatoes may stop setting fruit or creating their flavor compounds as effectively, which can change the taste.

These passive solar greenhouses extend the tomato-growing season in the Midwest and protect the crop from variable weather and common pests. Our tomato farms use natural pest control and chemical-free insect prevention methods to keep tomatoes growing well and super healthy, naturally.

 

Your Impact

Your donations to the Lakewinds Organic Field Fund (LOFF) helps purchase hoop houses for local farmers to prolong their growing season and grow healthier produce. A past LOFF recipient local farm, Seed to Seed, purchased these (pictured above) hoop houses and has been growing better tomatoes since—and they are certified organic! Read on for the tomato types you can expect to see in stores from Seed to Seed farm this month.

 

Look forward to these Tomato Varieties:

Beefstake variety (Big Beef)

This variety is naturally highly disease resistant (making them a favorite with farmers) and produces a large fruit with delicious old-time tomato flavor. Great for recipes that call for big tomato slices or chunks, since their sturdy nature will keep them from falling apart on salads or roasted in dishes. These are early to mature, are generally blemish-free and gorgeous in color, and have a classic, fan-favorite tomato taste.

Roma variety (Pozzano)

A plum tomato that works well for canning, tomato paste or sauces due to their small size, firm nature and high solids that sauce down quickly. Pozzano’s are an open-pollinated variety rather than a hybrid and have been steadily improving over the years to be more resistant to disease. Great to use any time a recipe calls for a cherry tomato or you want a sweeter taste added to the dish, as the taste only improves when cooked.